Buford Elementary School is helping all students develop the world class skills and career characteristics of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate by promoting daily, prescriptive instruction to meet each learner where they are ready to learn. Students receive grade-level standards instruction as well as the to work at their independent readiness level during literacy instruction. Students in third, fourth, and fifth grades receive an extra block of math to work at their readiness level in math. Through technology and hands-on manipulatives, students explore mathematics from the concrete, to the pictorial, to the abstract. By providing inquiry- based project based instruction, our students are discovering the answers to their own questions about and social studies’ curriculum in addition to learning grade level standards. Our continued focus on STREAM instruction provides students the opportunity to learn grade level standards while incorporating science, technology, reading, engineering, arts, and math.

Our Leader in Me way of grows stronger each school year. Our entire BES school family continues to learn and live Steven Covey’s 7 + 1 Habits. A continued focus on leadership was highlighted in each class’s Leadership, Lunch and Learn. During these virtual visits, students shared with their parents what they are learning and how they are using their leadership skills at school, home and in our community. By focusing on Beginning with the End in Mind, we were committed to making this school year the best, both academic and personally; and by carrying our own weather, BES remained a positive environment to work and learn. By Putting First Things First, we found that taking care of Big Rocks in our provided us more to Sharpen the Saw. We have learned that our families and their health and safety are definitely Big Rocks and taking care of each other’s social and emotional well being has been a focus. Synergy radiated throughout our school campus and we continued to accomplish more than should have been possible by sharing the load and keeping ourselves accountable. This year, more than ever, we have explored our circle of influence and circle of control. We are committed to focusing our efforts on the things we can make a positive impact on and not allowing the Covid-19 challenges to change our growth mindset and our commitment to being the best school for all learners.

In 2019, our students exceeded the district and state average for the South Carolina College and Career Ready Assessment (SC READY) in ELA, with 60 percent “Met or Exceeding” and in mathematics, with 77 percent scoring “Met or Exceeding.” This was a 12 percent increase in ELA and a 7 percent increase in mathematics from the previous year. Our students also exceeded the state averages for the SCPASS assessments in science and social studies for 2019. In science, 71.2 percent of students reached “Met or “Exemplary” and 79.4 percent of students reached “Met or Exemplary” in social studies.

Buford Elementary School is a school family who is committed to a rigorous academic learning environment where each member is valued and their leadership skills are nurtured. We are a community of self-motivated, confident leaders who empower our stakeholders to the highest level of accountability. We recognize there is much work to be done as we look forward to next year. As a school family, teachers, parents and our strong Buford Nation will continue to support our most valuable assets...OUR CHILDREN. We will continue developing our students in the image of the Profile of the South Carolina graduate as our students continue to be our WHY.